Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a portable negative-pressure device for providing negative-pressure to a negative-pressure wound dressing. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to a portable negative-pressure device suitably for generating negative-pressure manually.
Description of Related Art
The human body's wound healing is an intricate process after the body tissues gets injured. At the very beginning, various proteins and the blood-clotting materials for wound healing approach the wound area via blood to cause haemostatic mechanism; that is, the formation of blood clotting prevents further bleeding, and the phagocytes engulf dead cells along with bacteria, pathogens and/or debris from the damage. Then, the wound healing enters the proliferation phase. The wound starts to repair itself and is rebuilt with new fibroblast and granulation tissue around the wound area. The granulation tissue forms and the wound contracts to close the wound area. Finally, the closed wound area grows with scar tissue over time.
The common wound dressing treats the wound by physically absorbing the wound exudates to keep the wound area dry. However, the common wound dressing is unable to control the humidity surrounding the wound area, and the wound healing will be adversely effected due to the over dry condition around the wound area.
Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a therapeutic technique utilizing humidity control of a wound in the proliferation phase thereof to promote the intricate process of the wound healing. The negative-pressure wound therapy is typically using a negative-pressure source, such as a vacuum pump in connection with an airtight seal, suction member and biocompatible porous dressing to generate a negative-pressure environment around the wound area to drainage the excess wound fluids and exudates, encourage the migration of the healthy tissue, maintain moisture in the surrounding tissue and increase the blood flow to accelerate the wound healing. The negative-pressure wound therapy utilizing the intricate process of wound healing can effectively promote the blood flow to the wound area, stimulate the formation of granulation tissue and encourage the migration of healthy tissue over the wound. The negative-pressure wound therapy removes the exudates from the wound tissue to inhibit the bacterial growth.
The common systems for using in negative-pressure wound therapy mainly have two types: one is a system with a fluid storage container and the other is a system with an absorptive wound dressing. The two types both need an additional negative-pressure source which is usually an electric pump. However, it is not convenient because of the requirement of a large motor structure of the electric pump and an additional electric source. Especially, when using the system with a fluid storage container, the system constructs with an additional fluid storage container and conduits, and the system restricts patient's mobility. When using the system with absorptive wound dressing, the absorptive wound dressing, which is limited by the less amount of exudates absorption, needs to be replaced more frequently, and changing the dressing will make patients uncomfortable.
Accordingly, there is a demand of a novel portable negative-pressure device for suitably using along with a negative-pressure wound therapy system. The novel portable negative-pressure device is used more easily and conveniently than the one used with a canister. In addition, the novel portable negative-pressure device can provide much collection volume for exudates than the one used with an absorptive wound dressing.